


Memorial

by JustAWritist



Series: Memory and Moments [2]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Comedy, Fluff and Drama, M/M, Past, Romance, Shorts, a continuation of a thing i did before, i honestly didn't think i would put this up but i decided to say fuck it, kind of the same but an extension, probably cliché
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-14
Updated: 2015-04-22
Packaged: 2018-03-17 20:25:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 13,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3542705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustAWritist/pseuds/JustAWritist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What makes a moment in life? The things we're doing? The mood we're in? Or is it simply the people we're with?</p><p>"Life's made of moments. Some are more special than others."</p><p>~An extension to Momentum~</p><p> </p><p>  <b>ON TEMPORARY HIATUS DUE TO LACK OF TIME FOR WRITING</b></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> An extension of ye ole' fan fiction:  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/3492401
> 
> Essentially an extension of all the moments mentioned and some other things. (Maybe even an actual ending, who knows.)

Driving had always seemed unnecessary when my work was only four blocks away from my house. Everyday I would walk to and from work without having to deal with the shitty parking garage the firm provided. The roof always leaked brown water and I didn’t want to know what kind of shit would get on me if I tried to maneuver my way through that damned place.

Everyday I would walk to and from work with the same commuters.

Sometimes I would notice little things, like the woman who carried a rat-like dog in her purse. The dog was yappy as _fuck_ and I always wanted to tell her to piss off but she’s always on her phone.

Or the guy who decided that having some gaseous sports car that sped by way too fast everyday would compensate for whatever tiny-sized dick he had.

These things I noticed. They weren’t people who were there everyday but often enough to annoy me.

The others were just blurs. Just one faceless crowd. Things I didn’t notice.

One of these thing’s I didn’t notice was a brat who stopped in the middle of the street, swooped down, and almost made me go face-first into the sidewalk.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry! I was taking a photo of this flower before it got stepped on and I didn’t realize you were behind me. I’m so sorry. You aren’t hurt, right?” He immediately stood up and turned to apologize. I stood up myself and brushed off. When I turned I met the reddened face of a kid with messy brown hair that didn’t look fully brushed. He had these bright blue-green eyes and he was still talking even as I stood straight.

“Watch where the fuck you’re going.” I was harsh, I was with everyone.

His expression changed from apologetic and embarrassed, but it wasn’t shocked or hurt like most people, it was indignant anger, it was pride.

“Hey! I said I was sorry. I didn’t mean to trip you!” He retorted.

“Yeah, well, you fucking did.” It should have ended there, I was going to walk away but he kept going.

“On accident!” He persisted, “Besides, it’s not like you actually fell or anything.”

“Says the brat who just wasted ten minutes of my life giving me a shitty explanation.” I glanced at my watch, it had definitely been less than ten minutes but I didn’t care.

“More like two minutes! And it’s a good explanation too.” He was stubborn.

“Taking a photo of a flower is a good explanation?” I scoffed.

“Yes! I mean, look at it!” He stepped aside and gestured to a small purplish-blue flower poking out of a crack in the concrete. Small, delicate, and surrounded by people who could so easily crush it under their foot and not give a fuck.

“It’s great right…” He sounded distant, then, “Even if Professor Pixis doesn’t accept it as a nature photo, I’m still glad I captured it…” He was mumbling to himself.

“Fine, great, whatever.” I turn, “Have fun with your flowers, kid.” I waved him off and continued on. I didn’t look back, and the only thought I ever gave him that day was when Hanji commented I was later than usual. And I blamed a shitty brat who’s name I didn’t even know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yeah, that's the first of these shorts. They'll update whenever they're done, and we'll see how many there are.
> 
> Comments and Kudos loved and cherished.
> 
> Contact me on my tumblr:
> 
> goldie-the-cat.tumblr.com
> 
> See you next time!


	2. "Hello"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day by day they began to meet...

“You again!”

My thought must have been something along the line of, _Oh fuck no._ When a semi-familiar voice had called out to me from behind the sidewalk. I turned and saw the same kid with green-blue eyes, his hair still half-messy.

“Goddammit.” I muttered, the brat just smiled.

“You look pleased to see me.” He was seriously pushing his boundaries, which I wasn’t quite sure how to deal with. Mainly because most people turned away after their first encounter with me.

“Fucking ecstatic.” I sighed, I tried to walk ahead, hoping to get away from the brat. But he wouldn’t let me.

“Hey, look, I just wanted to actually apologize.” He’d kept pace with me.

“Great, apology accepted, now leave me alone.” I picked up pace again.

“Wow, you don’t make this easy, do you.” He kept pace, again.

“Maybe there’s a reason. Did that ever occur to you?” I snapped. But he’d stopped suddenly.

Again, I would have kept walking, but I wanted to know what made him stop. So I turned and saw him beaming down at a small crack where the flower still sprung up. He caught me staring and met my eyes.

“The flower’s still standing!” He sounded triumphant.

“Great.” I sighed, thinking that maybe then he would get off of my back and let me get to work.

“Oh, I didn’t catch your name. My name’s Eren.” He held out his hand. I kept my hands where they were, not having known where his hands had been.

“Levi.” I replied. Eren nodded and I took his distraction to turn and keep walking. Hoping that I would never run into him again.

The next day, I ran into him again.

“Hello, Levi.” Eren’d greeted me, he’d brought a bottle of water and was crouching by the flower, still standing.

“Brat.” I’d replied.

“I have a name.” Eren sighed, but then turned back to water the flower, and I walked on.

And then the next day.

“Levi.” Eren greeted me with a nod.

“Do you usually walk here?” I asked.

“Yeah, on my way to school.” He replied, and we kept walking in silence before my path diverged at the end of the street.

And the next.

“Hey.” Eren said.

“Hello.” My greeting.

Again we walked in silence.

Then the next.

And so on, until one day, when we decided to change it up, somewhat.

“Morning, Levi.” Eren smiled at me.

“Eren.” I replied.

“You actually used my name today!” He seemed happy.

“Is that so damn special?” I asked.

“No, well, yeah.” Eren shrugged, “I mean, usually you just say ‘Brat’ or just some curt ‘hello’, so ‘Eren’ is a little different. So, yes, I guess it is special.” He explained.

“What the hell do they put in your coffee to make you so excitable anyway?” I asked after a while.

“Sorry?” Eren seemed a little surprised.

“Your always so fucking energetic, aren’t you supposed to sleep in and not give a fuck about when you wake up?” I asked. Eren considered this for a bit.

“Well, I’m like that on the weekends, or any day I don’t have classes. But my first period class is my favorite so it’s easier to get up and go to class.” He explained, “After that, though, I’m like everybody else my age, dragging my feet and complaining all the way to my next class.” He said with a cheeky smile.

“What kind of class is so special?” I wondered aloud.

“Photography, of course!” Eren stated it like it was commonly known.

“Are you some kind of photography student?” I asked.

“Some kind.” Eren gave me that cheeky smile again.

“Don’t be so fucking smart.” I glared at him.

“Would you rather I be dumb?” He never did know when to stop.

“Holy shit. It’s too fucking early for this.” I turned away, it was the moment where our paths diverged daily.

“See you tomorrow!” Eren called out behind me.

I did. The next day, and the next, and so on. Each day we had our small conversations.

“Do you have any family that live nearby, Levi?” Eren asked one day.

“No.” I replied curtly.

“Really? None at all?”

“No.”

“Wow.” I didn’t reply to this, “Well, I have a sister.”

“Fucking great.”

“You’re not very sociable.”

“I try not to be.”

“Why not?”

“Most people are dicks.”

Eren smiled at this, “True, but, I’m not a dick, right?”

“Don’t push your luck, brat.”

“If I was, you wouldn’t talk to me everyday.” He pointed out, and I hated it when the kid was smart.

“Maybe your just less dickish then the people I work with, that ever occur to you?”

“What’s your job, anyway?” Eren asked, I refused to tell him. But he tried again the next day.

“You never told me your job yesterday.”

And the next.

“Why’s it so secretive anyway?”

Until finally I gave in.

“Fine, I’m a fucking lawyer, happy now?” I snapped at him, he smiled.

“Oh cool! So you defend people, and stuff like that?” He asked. I snorted.

“I don’t know what kind of shitty image of lawyers you have in your head but, no, I’m not that kind. I’m more the contract-paperwork kind.”

“Ah, well, that’s not as cool.” Eren said.

“Sorry to disappoint.” I sighed.

“You didn’t disappoint me.” He replied, “You told me your job!”

“And why does that make you so fucking happy?” I asked.

“Because it means were friends.” He stated it as if it were already a fact, “As proven by you opening up for once!”

I denied it then, but the kid was right. At that point, we were friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, two chapters in one day.
> 
> Well, two shorts, but yeah.
> 
> Fun times.
> 
> Also, editing be damned it's short anyway.
> 
> Comments and Kudos are great and wonderful things. (I'm trying to be creative here, but it's not really working, is it?)
> 
> Come talk to me:
> 
> goldie-the-cat.tumblr.com


	3. Photography Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Photos...

Eren showed me his photos sometimes when we walked.

The first one was, of course, of the little blue flower, pricking so defiantly out of rock-hard concrete.

The second one was of his best friend, adoptive sister, and himself sitting together by a riverbed. His best friend was a blonde little guy who had a somewhat mushroom-esque bob haircut and bright blue eyes. His sister was dark haired and dark eyed, she had a bright red scarf wrapped around her as she dipped her toes in the river. Eren was splashing his mushroom friend who seemed to be running away. His sister was watching them with eyes that look veiled, but even I could see the protective love that she watched them both with.

The next few were photos of the city. They were fucking amazing.

Clouds captured, their reflection clear and grey against the windows of an office still being built.

An older couples hands entwined as they walked through a park on a cloudy day. Their wrinkled old faces stretched into bright, lively smiles.

A dog jumping up against a white picket fence at kids playing jumprope and hopscotch on a street with their mother watching them from afar.

A butterfly landing on a flower, multicolored wings splayed out as the dew on the rose’s bright pink petals reflect the underside of the two limbs.

He had talent. I told him so. Eren responded sheepishly, blushing and saying that these weren’t his best, just a few he liked and had on hand. He promised to show me more someday. He did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shit, three in one day. Don't get used to this. But... I'm in a creative mood.
> 
> Comments and Kudos encouraged and appreciated.
> 
> Come talk to me:
> 
> goldie-the-cat.tumblr.com


	4. Photography Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren takes a photo...

I was walking with Eren one day when he asked if he could take a photo of me.

“No fucking way.” Was my immediate reply.

“But, why not? I need to take photos of people for my next assignment…” Eren started to explain.

“I don’t give a crap about your fucking assignment,” I snapped back, “There’s no way in hell that you’re taking a photo of me.”

“Why not?” Eren persisted.

“Just no.” I thought I’d left it at that. But it was the next day when Eren arrived late and I had time on my hands, so I’d glanced to where the flower once was.

It was gone, trampled into the street by passerby’s feet.

I had no time to reflect, though, because I was disturbed by the sound of a click and a bright flash behind my back.

“Oh fuck no.” I said as I turned around. Eren gave me a cheeky smile.

“What? If I can’t take a photo of your face, then your back shouldn’t be a problem, right?” The impish brat.

“Give me the camera, Eren.” I held my palm out.

“What? No!” He held it to his chest.

“Fine, then you delete it.” I demanded.

“But, Levi-“ He started

“No fucking buts, delete the damn photo, Eren.” I demanded.

“I don’t believe in deleting photos.” He said, “Even mistakes should be remembered!” Then he lowered the camera, “Besides, even if I wanted to, I can’t. This isn’t my digital camera. I have to actually get the picture in the photo lab before I can do anything with it.” He explained.

“Fine,” I sighed, “Fine, then just give me the print or whatever.”

“You won’t throw it away?” He asked.

“No! I won’t fucking throw it away if it’s that damn important to you. Just give me the photo.”

“Alright,” Eren said, “Well, I can’t get it to you right away, since I have school and everything… but…” He pondered this for a little while, “I don’t have any classes at noon today, want to meet for lunch?” He asked.

“Sure, whatever. Where should we meet?” I asked.

“Uh… There’s a pizza place nearby my school, just off of Johnson Avenue? I don’t know the name but it should be the only one in that area.” He directed me. I wasn’t a big fan of pizza but at the time I just wanted the photo.

“Great. I’ll see you at noon.” I said, and diverged our path yet again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliché street name is cliché.
> 
> Also I'm curious if anyone can find the innuendo in this chapter, tell me if you do.
> 
> Comments and Kudos are magically fabulous.
> 
> Talk to me whenever:
> 
> goldie-the-cat.tumblr.com


	5. Photography Part Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *puts on dark glasses*  
> Go to lunch with me, or the photo gets published.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I figured I'd just finish up the three-part photo portion of this story today :)

Eren had been late to our meeting that day. I had to call Hanji and tell her that I would be late coming back from my lunch break. When he finally did arrive, he let out some long-winded apology as per usual.

“I’m so sorry, the photography lab was full and then Professor Pixis wanted to talk to me about some upcoming photo competition that I’m not going to do anyway and, you look pissed. Are you pissed? Ugh, you’re pissed-“

“Eren, I’m only going to get more pissed if you keep trying to apologize. Settle the fuck down.” I sighed, “If anything it gives me an excuse to get out of my shitty office, the place is full of crap. I mean literal crap, they need to hire better janitors.” I ranted a bit before settling down myself. Eren smiled.

“I take it you don’t like messy areas?” He asked.

“Fuck no, disgusting, all of them.” I crinkled my nose in revulsion. “But I still need to get back to work, do you have the photo?” I asked. Eren smiled,

“Oh, yeah! It turned out really well, I think you’ll like it.” He reached into his bag and pulled out a small square of lamented paper. He slid it over the table.

I saw my back, black coat and hair, hands in pockets, as I stared down at a crushed blue-purple flower and a closed down red brick store.

“It’s… actually kind of fucking beautiful.” I said, I hadn’t realized that my hand was resting against Eren’s as we both stared at his photo, up until that point, that is.

“Yeah…” He’d sounded wistful. His eyes were lowered and calm as they stared at the photo resting in-between our hands, a small smile on his face.

I cleared my throat, half to dispel the strange and awkward feeling that was building inside of my stomach.

Eren realized what was happening and pulled his hand away quickly, as if the photo was burning hot. Blood rose to his cheeks, making them rosy in color.

“So… Uh, yeah, there you go!” His voice squeaked a bit, as if he was embarrassed. I pulled the photo onto my side of the table and carefully slipped it into my bag so as not to crumple it.

“Thanks.” I’d muttered. The situation was becoming very awkward very quickly, so I brought back something from before. “You mentioned something about a photo competition?” I asked. Eren perked up, he was always easily distractible. Yet somehow he still seemed a bit more hesitant that time then our previous conversations.

“Yeah, about capturing natural beauty in a city, but I’m not entering it anyway.” He shrugged.

“Why the fuck not?” I asked, “Your photos are amazing and if they’re not about capturing the ‘natural beauty in a city’ then I don’t know what the fuck you’re photographing.”

“I know but…” Eren shrugged, “I mean, I’m still so new to the whole photography-whatever. And usually it’s the veterans to the art who get noticed. Because they’re already known,” He shook his head, “It makes sense, really.”

“No, no it fucking doesn’t.” I said. I leaned forward on the table, “Eren, how will anybody ever know you if you never do anything to get known? You have to actually take that first step if you want to go forward. Enter the fucking competition if you want to, or don’t. I don’t give a crap. But you should know that people aren’t just going to start noticing you. You have to make yourself get noticed first.”

After my little preach, I hadn’t been sure if saying all of that was the right thing to do. Eren assured me by smiling.

“Thanks, Levi. It… means a lot.” He told me. I felt the heat rise to my own cheeks.

“Whatever, it needed to be said.” I brushed it off and stood, I gave some excuse, probably having to go back to work. And left with the photo still carefully put away in my bag.

Later I would take it out, and, not knowing what to do with it, put it in a frame and on the dresser. It felt special to me. It felt like it belonged there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Romance is fucking hard to write, man. Half the time I wonder if it's too cheesy or not cheesy enough.
> 
> Romance is like pizza, you need some cheese to make it good, but too much and you start choking and end up coughing up some disgusting ball of cheese on the table and everyone silently judges you.
> 
> Which is why I'm bad at romance, I always choke on the cheese in pizzas...
> 
> Komments and Cudos are beautiful (I'm also running out of ideas for this, in case you couldn't tell.)
> 
> Habla con yo:
> 
> goldie-the-cat.tumblr.com


	6. All By My Lonesome Self

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren's not there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YOU GUUUYS IM REALLY EXCITED  
> The next chapter is one of my favorites (my favorite so far will be number nine though, you'll see why.)
> 
> As for this chapter:  
> I love it too. I think it's sweet. Idk, tell me what you think.

I was alone walking to work that next day, and I was unused to the sensation of not having an over-excitable brat chatting happily next to me.

I didn’t like it.

I started noticing the woman with her yappy dog and the dickhead who drove the loud sports car again.

But more than anything, I was lonely.

I didn’t admit it to myself at first, but once I had to turn onto the next street and that damned brat wasn’t there to say goodbye I realized that I was fucking lonely and I was bullshitting myself if I said I wasn’t.

I was especially irritable that day, Hanji even asked me who pissed in my coffee to make me so moody. I told her to fuck off, and continued in my agitated ways.

Admittedly, I grew a little worried. I wondered if the brat had gotten sick or some other idiotic thing like that. And it worried me. Even though I didn’t know why the fuck I was so wound up over some kid.

When I walked back home, I spotted the brat taking photos of the closed store, the one where the flower used to be.

“Where the fuck were you this morning?” I asked him.

“Hi, Levi!” Eren greeted me as if all was at it’s usual, “Oh, that, sorry… I took your advice, though.” He told me.

“You did what?” I didn’t know what ‘advice’ he was talking about.

“I went in early to submit my photo for the contest.” Eren explained.

“Oh.”

“Did you miss me?” He was as cheeky as ever.

“Shut up, it’s just too fucking boring without something there to take up my time.” I shrugged it off, “So, you going to be walking at a different time, now?” I inquired, I tried hard not to let my curiosity slip into my voice.

“I don’t know, depends, will you miss me if I am?” He asked, his smile widened.

“Fuck you, I just don’t want to be bored.” I snapped, “Whatever, just… give me your phone.” I held out my hand, he reached into his pocket and placed the small device in my palm.

“Why?” He asked.

“Because I don’t want to be bored shitless every single day, might as well text you.” I gave my ‘reason’ as I entered my number into his phone and gave my phone and his to him. “So put your number in my phone.”

“Aw, you _will_ miss me.” He teased me.

“Just put in your fucking number, brat.” I grimaced.

“Okay, okay, here. And it’s Eren, you know, not ‘brat'.” He said as he passed his phone back to me.

“Alright, brat.” I replied, Eren mock-rolled his eyes. “I have to go, but…” I was about to say see you tomorrow, so I looked to him instead. Eren smiled again.

“See you soon.” He kept me in the dark.

“Yeah.” I said, “See you then.” I walked off, glancing at my phone and seeing, for the first time, his full name. Eren Jaeger. It sounded german to me.

I saw him the next day.

“You fucking brat.”

“You _would_ have missed me, then!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes. Yes he would have.
> 
> Oops, almost forgot this stuff:
> 
> Kummants and Codos will be given a loving home.
> 
> parler avec moi:
> 
> goldie-the-cat.tumblr.com


	7. Text-Speak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Texting provides communication barriers and breakdowns.

I’d always hated text speak. Why somebody had to abbreviate a three-letter word was beyond my understanding.

Eren abbreviated every damn word that could be abbreviated. It had pissed me off at first. Our texts would usually consist of the same back-and-forth whenever he used some abbreviation, some form of text speak.

_Eren: Hey Levi, how’s work going for u?_

_Me: Are you fucking with me._

_Eren: Wat?_

_Me: Holy shit it’s literally one fucking letter._

_Eren: ?_

_Me: What, there’s an ‘h’ in what. And a ‘y’ and ‘o’ in ‘u’. Does it take that damn long to type letters for you._

_Eren: Ahh, this again._

_Me: It’s a fucking problem._

_Me: Soon the entire damn world will be speaking like how you type._

_Eren: It would still sound the same tho._

_Me: Though._

_Me: It’s fucking though._

_Eren: I hope it has a good time._

_Me: …_

_Me: Oh fuck you._

_Eren: Gee, Levi, moving a little quickly there aren’t we._

_Me: You goddamn brat._

_Me: I need to work._

_Eren: D:_

_Me: Go do your homework or some shit._

_Eren: bai._

_Me: Oh my fuck._

_Me: That’s not even the right letters._

_Eren: :D_

And so on until Hanji burst into my office during one of our conversations. I jumped, admittedly engrossed in trying to correct Eren.

“You’ve been glued to that phone for days, Levi.” Hanji smiled, “Who ya texting?” She sauntered up to my side and tried to peek over my shoulder. I had to shove her away.

“Fuck off, Hanji.” I grumbled, placing my phone to the side. It buzzed and I locked my phone, setting it inside the drawer and ignoring the text message at the time.

“So? How’d you meet him?” Hanji ignored my previous inquiry.

“Let me repeat myself: Fuck off, Hanji.” I glowered, and turned back to my work.

“What’s he look like?” Hanji continued to pester me.

“He’s a brat.” I mumbled, hoping that maybe she’d leave me if I gave her something.

“Someone younger? Shocking!” Hanji feigned a hand over her mouth, she smiled at me. “When do I get to meet this lucky young ‘brat’ who’s stolen your attention?” She gave a supposedly suggestive eyebrow waggle.

“He hasn’t stolen my fucking attention!” I snapped at her, Hanji feigned a swoon.

“So defensive! Must have fallen in real deep.” She walked over to the door. “Alright, alright, you can keep your secrets for now, Romeo. I’ll find Julien eventually!”

“Julien?” I raised an eyebrow as she smirked, her eyes gleaming behind thickly-rimmed glasses.

“Male Juliet.” She left, leaving the door open behind her. I sighed and got up to close the door, as I did I heard he singing down the hallway.

“Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo?” I turned my head and watched as she grabbed the shoulders of the nearest, most unlucky worker. “Deny thy name and refuse thy father!”

“It’s the other way around, shit-headed Hanji…” I mumbled and closed the door. I heard my phone buzz in my desk.

I went over to check the message before I went back to work.

I’d always hated Romeo and Juliet, they were both idiots. You shouldn’t die for the one’s you love. You should learn to live for them, live and keep living.

That’s why I hate Romeo and Juliet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a special attachment to this chapter because I actually do hate Romeo and Juliet. Don't get me wrong, love Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice is one of my favorites, but Romeo and Juliet.... Not so much. Doesn't click with me. *shrug*
> 
> Wow, at this rate we'll actually catch up to where I'm currently at writing-wise.
> 
> Comments and Kudos are wonderful.
> 
> .lufrednow era soduK dna stnemmoC
> 
> Watashi ni hanashite kudasai:
> 
> goldie-the-cat.tumblr.com


	8. Not a Date, Just Bored

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren and Levi do not go on a date. Not at all.

_Me: Hey, brat, you have class today?_

_Eren: Yeah._

_Me: When does it end?_

_Eren: 8, why?_

_Me: I don’t have work. I’m ready to tear my fucking hair out there’s nothing to do._

_Eren: O._

_Me: There’s an ‘h’ there._

_Eren: I kno._

_Me: Shitty brat._

_Eren: :D_

_Me: You need to stop with those damn ‘smiley-faces’, it’s a colon and a D, not a smile._

_Eren: I think a D looks a bit different, Levi._

_Me: You’re making it so difficult to ask you to a fucking dinner._

_Eren: Oooh, a date?_

_Me: Not a damn date, you brat. I’m just bored as fuck and there’s nothing else to do._

_Eren: Well, that’s flattering._

_Me: Just say yes or no and let me live my life goddammit._

_Eren: Okay, okay._

_Eren: I’ll go to dinner with you, Levi._

_Me: Fucking finally._

_Me: I’ll text you the address._

Perhaps I was a bit too happy about him accepting to go to dinner with me. Maybe that was why I picked a restaurant that, admittedly, was a bit more formal than just ‘friends hanging out’.

Maybe that was why I got there ten minutes early, and was panicked half the way there.

I didn’t even know why I was losing my shit.

I just was.

I even texted Hanji to ask her what I should wear. Her reply was nothing at all. So I told her to fuck off, and then she finally answered me. I ended up going in a black button-down and gray slacks. Hanji had originally told me to wear black skinny-legged pants to ‘show off that fine ass of mine’. That was the second time that day I told her to fuck off.

I remember sitting at the table, Hanji texting me again telling me to have fun, but use protection, and me telling her to fuck off for the third time that hour before Eren arrived.

He arrived in a red t-shirt and blue jeans. His face was red when he talked to the hostess and got even redder when he saw me at the table.

“Oh my god, I’m not dressed right, am I?” He asked as he slid into the seat, his head hung in shame.

“I told you it was semi-formal.” I said, but a smile had been tugging at the corner’s of my lips.

“I forgot!” Eren whined.

"You do that a lot?" I asked.

"You're not helping, Levi." Eren whined, a waiter passed by and he ducked his head, as if ashamed.

“Relax, brat, you look fine.” I said, “It’s not like anyone’s going to be looking over and fucking judging you or some shit.” I picked up my menu and opened the menu.

“Right…” Eren sighed, then he smiled, “Right.” He opened his own menu, “So… what would you suggest?”

“Never been here before?” I asked.

“No, but I trust you.” He replied.

“Sorry?” I was confused when he said this.

“Well, I don’t know. You seem like the type of guy who has good taste.” Eren smiled at me with one of his beaming, slightly cheeky smiles. “Plus, I’m kind of curious to see what you’re taste is.”

“Why the fuck would you be curious about that?”

“You never describe yourself, so I figure the next best thing would be to just see it for myself.” His smile had only widened, “I’ll find out who you are, Levi! One way or another.”

“Fuck, you sound like Hanji.” I mentioned casually.

“Who?” His smile fell into a confused look.

“A friend.” I muttered, looking back at the menu.

“Oh, so you _do_ have friends. I wasn’t sure considering how antisocial you are.”

“Shut up, brat.” I glared at him, but Eren only smiled back at me.

My nerves had faded away, and I hadn’t even noticed.

The next day Hanji pestered me to get all the ‘details’ of which I denied her any besides ‘it was good’ or something along those lines. She sent me a link entitled ‘Click This’.

The video itself was called ‘Kiss the Girl - Eren Version’ and consisted of her singing the tune of ‘Kiss the Girl’ only changing the lyrics to ‘Kiss the Eren’. I wondered how she found out what Eren’s name was.

I checked my desk. The motherfucker had stolen my phone and read my texts.

It was a long day, and I didn’t get my phone back till the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Silently dances back and forth listening to adorable music*  
> Happy St. Patrick's Day Everyone~!  
> I wish you all the best of luck for the rest of the year coming around!
> 
> Comments and Kudos are sparkly and beautiful. (How the hell am I going to keep coming up with new things to put here.)
> 
>  
> 
> makipag-usap sa akin (meanwhile google-translate continues to supply me with new languages):
> 
> goldie-the-cat.tumblr.com


	9. Moonlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...

It was already late, I was just winding up my last email of the day when I’d gotten a text from Eren.

_Eren: hey, Levi._

I clicked send and put away my papers before picking up my phone and replying.

_Me: What?_

He didn’t reply right away. So I walked down to the elevator and reached the lobby by the time my phone buzzed again.

_Eren: Nothing important, just something kind of stupid. But I’m nearby the park, you know, the one across from the street we usually walk on?_

_Eren: I was wondering if maybe you’d like to come walk with me?_

_Eren: I mean, I have a project for my photography class so I’d be taking photos._

_Eren: So I totally understand if you don’t want to._

_Eren: Or you’re busy._

_Eren: Or something._

_Eren: But if you want to than maybe you’d like to come meet me?_

_Me: Holy shit slow down I can’t type that fucking fast._

His messages had been coming in at a mile a minute, and I had to actually tell him to stop so that I could reply.

_Me: Sure, why not. I’ll meet you in ten minutes or so._

It took me eleven minutes to walk from my work down to the curb where I usually turn and then up to the park. Eren was standing at the entrance, his fingers tapping away nervously at his polaroid camera. He looked up and saw me, that same bright smile taking over his features.

“Levi!” He greeted me, running up to meet me halfway. The tip of his nose and ears were red and I’d wondered if it was from the cold.

“It’s fucking freezing, how long have you been out here?” I asked him.

“Is it? I hadn’t noticed,” Eren pondered, “Ah! But no time for that,” He took hold of my wrist, “Come on, the moon is so bright I’m sure the lighting will be wonderful.” He turned and began to walk down the park path. I let him lead and just followed him, unsure about whether or not he knew he was still holding my wrist. I didn’t mind, I liked it.

After a while Eren let go of my hand, looking here and there and occasionally snapping a photo. To what I barely paid attention to. A park bench, a tree, something of those sorts.

Mainly I watched his face. I could so easily tell whether or not he liked a photo, whether he liked the lighting or the object or whatever, just by watching his face. He was so damn expressive.

His face would twist, the corners curling down and the eyebrows furrowing together or spiking up if he disliked a photo. Sometimes he would squint his eyes as if it was hard to see, then it was blurry or too far away.

Or his face would light up, a bright smile showing white teeth as his eyes widened in excitement, it was then that I knew he loved the photo he took.

Or it would be a small, gentle smile, soft and delicate as his eyelids fell halfway down those blue-green eyes and sometimes he’d even let his head fall to the side. Peaceful. Happy. I think it was these he liked the most, because in these his happiness was private. I caught on, quickly, that when his face lit up it was a photo he knew he liked and others would like as well. It was a photo he’d go around showing everyone and everything.

But I also caught on that it was the peaceful one’s he, himself, liked the most. The one’s he thought to be beautiful and didn’t care for the opinions of others, they were his. They were important to him and nobody else. I knew this because he would also look at those for the longest time. Once, he even apologized.

“Sorry,” He’d said, “I know I’m staring at it too long and probably wasting your time but…” His eyes drifted back to the photo. “I don’t know, I like this one.”

I walked over to him, glancing over his shoulder, he held it up for me to see. It was an old park bench, there were flowers, a full bouquet, lain on the side of the bench, the moonlight cast a subtly dramatic lighting on the bench and illuminated it in blue and black lighting. Even the flowers were a ghostly hue of blue. But the plaque was bright gold, on it said ‘In memory of Jason - Beloved Father, Friend, and Family.’.

It was touching, something about capturing the moment in such a still frame, was touching.

I was speechless. Eren took that to offense,

“Oh god, you don’t like it do you?” He became embarrassed, “Shoot, I’m sorry, it’s stupid isn’t it?”

I stopped him before he could continue,

“Eren, it’s beautiful.” I told him, his face registered several different emotions. First shock,

“Really?”

“Yes, you shitty brat, really.” I rolled my eyes.

Then disbelief.

“Wow.”

Then happiness. Bright happiness that rivaled the moon for the main light source. I shook my head, as if in disbelief myself.

“Come on, then, we should probably start heading back before it gets too late.” I turned to walk but I didn’t get far, he stopped me before I could even get past the light of the lamp that cast a golden glow over us, just missing the bench itself.

“Levi, wait…” Eren had seemed embarrassed. His face was red and that time I knew it wasn’t just the cold, he was blushing.

I didn’t understand my reaction at the time. My heart had started to beat faster and I felt my breath suck in air and hold it in my lungs because something about Eren had set me off. The bright blue-green psychedelic eyes and his slightly red face and permanently bed-toussled head of brunette hair. Something that I couldn’t quite place that had resurfaced time and time again when I talked with him.

“Can I take a photo of you?” He asked something so simple, but all it did was render me incoherent.

“Why?” Was all I could manage, the red on his cheeks spread and he let go of my sleeve, looking away as he scratched the back of his head, embarrassed.

“Well, I mean, the lighting’s great and the timing seems perfect… You kind of fit the scenery and…” He winced, as if in preparation for rejection he anticipated with his own words. “You look handsome.” He admitted quietly.

It took much too long for my brain to react, so my body reacted first. It took some two seconds before I had hold of Eren’s collar and had pulled him down to kiss him on the lips. They were soft and his breath tasted slightly like his lunch but I didn’t care.

I didn’t care because Eren was kissing me back. Tentatively, softly, I was shocked and happy and I think he was too. I looped my arms around his neck and he put his around my torso because they just _fit_ there and there was no other way to describe it.

I lost track of how long we stayed there. We didn’t even kiss again, just stood there in the park with nobody around, holding each other in our arms. After some time I put my head in the crook of his neck and he laid his head against mine. It was only when I felt him shiver that I broke away.

“What’s wrong?” Eren had immediately gone to his default panic.

“You’re fucking cold, that’s what.” He looked like he was about to protest, “Don’t give me shit, Eren. I felt you shiver.” It was at this that he smiled.

“Alright,” He said, accepting it and leaving the conversation at that. I wasn’t used to his complacency so I turned my head away, embarrassed.

“Come on, let’s get you home.” I muttered. I turned and began to walk away, Eren caught up with me quickly. When he did he slipped his hand into mine. I didn’t say anything, just laced our fingers together.

It was only when we reached the curb that we unlaced our hands.

“I’ll… uh, see you sometime soon, then?” Eren asked. I nodded,

“Yeah. See you soon.” We stood there for a little while, neither of us sure we wanted to leave. The wind started to blow again and Eren shivered, even I felt the cold pierce my jacket.

“Get home safe, okay?” I asked him, Eren nodded, a smile covering his face again.

“Yeah. I will. You too, Levi.” He said, and then turned and began to walk away. I watched him until his back disappeared into the darkness, then I turned and walked away as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *internal screaming*  
> I'VE BEEN WAITING TO GET TO THIS CHAPTER.
> 
> This is my favorite chapter that I've written so far so tell me if you like it too!
> 
> Codos and Kommunts are amazing.
> 
> sprich mit mir:
> 
> goldie-the-cat.tumblr.com


	10. Nothing I Can Do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day after...

I had woken up the next day, and found it unexplainably hard to finish getting dressed and get out of the door. It took me up until I got to the corner where I usually converged with Eren to realize why the hell my hands were shaking and kept missing the buttons on my shirt that morning.

I was damn nervous. Which I told myself was idiotic, he had kissed me back, hadn’t he? In retrospect, I was correct, but looking back doesn’t shake the feeling I’d had at the time.

_Maybe he regretted it, maybe it was just a ‘heat-of-the-moment’ type of thing. Maybe he only did it to appease me and now he wasn’t going to be here._

One could only imagine the sinking feeling when I turned the corner and he wasn’t there. When I walked all the way up the block in silence because he wasn’t there. Then you could also imagine the relief when my phone buzzed and a message lit up the screen.

_Eren: Hey, Levi, I’m not going to be there today… I caught a cold._

I was relieved, well, relieved and angry.

_Me: You brat. I told you it was too fucking cold._

_Eren: I don’t regret it, though._

It was at this that I had to shove my phone in my pocket. Not out of disgust or horror but because in just those five words he’d lifted something off of my chest that was weighing heavily against my thoughts. The brat probably didn’t even realize he had.

He didn’t regret it. Perhaps I was reading into it too much, but to me it meant that he didn’t regret the kiss. He didn’t regret holding my hand as we walked to the entrance or simply standing there in an embrace.

I reached my office and got to work. It didn’t take long for Hanji to burst into my office.

“How’d it go? You never texted me how it went, Levi! Was it just _that_ good? Is he a good kisser? How about his ass?” She launched a barrage of questions at me first-thing.

“Fucking hell, Hanji, at least let me get some damned work done before you attack me.” I glared at her, but Hanji remained unfazed.

“You’re in a good mood today!” She chirped happily.

“Yeah, real peachy.” I rolled my eyes and glanced down at my phone, still not having responded to Eren’s text. Was he going to get enough sleep? Did he have food and water that he could get to? These were the types of thoughts that went through my head when I glanced at the phone.

“So? Are you going to spill the beans or do I have to pry the jar open?” She asked, leaning forward on my desk so that all I could see was a pair of gleaming brown eyes hiding behind reflective glasses.

“Neither.” I stated simply, going back to my work. Hanji wouldn’t let me have it my way.

“Come on! Levi! At least tell me whether or not you two, you know.” She grinned broadly. I glared at her.

“No, we did not. We were in the fucking park, Hanji!” I shook my head. For Hanji it was normal but I would still never get used to her ‘normal’.

“Whether you were in the fucking park, or fucking in the park. Both can work, Levi.” Hanji reminded me. Then she pouted, rested her head in her hands. “So there was no action? Not even a kiss?”

I didn’t respond, so Hanji perked up again.

“There _was_ action!” She smiled, “Well, even if you won’t tell me what kind, I know there was some!” She paused, as if waiting for a continuation from myself, if so then she didn’t get any. “So?”

“So what?”

“Are you going to ask him out on your next date?” I looked up at her as she said this. I had been so preoccupied with last night that I hadn’t even considered the possibility of a ‘next date’. If the park was even a date at all. Most likely it was, if not an unconventional one.

“Aww, poo, was this just a one-time thing?” Hanji looked disappointed.

“Of fucking course not!” I objected immediately, almost a little too quickly. Hanji grinned again, I was afraid what I’d unleashed but whatever I’d said seemed to satisfy the beast inside of her for now.

“Alright, good!” Hanji stood, trotting like a happy young kid towards the doorway. As she reached the entranceway she turned around on me, her brown ponytail whipping wildly around her face. “I think this’ll be good for you, Levi!” Was all she said before turning again and walking outside.

I looked down at my phone, how sick was Eren, anyway? Was he going to be better by tomorrow? I wondered these things and picked up my phone again.

_Me: How do you feel?_

_Eren: I’m o.k. Just tired. Should be better by tomorrow, or so Mikasa says. Y?_

_Me: You’re sick so I’m going to let that one slide._

I tapped the keypad of my phone. Wondering how I should go about asking Eren out on an actual ‘date’.

_Me: Hey, brat, when are you free?_

_Eren: My schedule’s always pretty open._

It was harder than I thought it’d be to write my next words, and I read and reread over them until I was sure they were perfect. Or as perfect as they could get.

_Me: If you’re not dying still, how would you like to go out for lunch sometime?_

I dropped my phone like it was burning hot and turned back to my work. My phone buzzed, once, twice, and I didn’t look at it until I’d gathered my nerves.

_Eren: Oooh,_

_Eren: Are you actually asking me out on a real date, this time?_

_Me: Yes, you brat. I am._

I’d typed the words fast, unsure if they were the right thing to say. But they were what I would say should we have been talking in person. There was a brief moment of prolong silence. I felt as if there was nothing I could do but wait for either rejection or acceptance. Unsure of which I would be on the receiving end of.

_Eren: Yeah._

_Eren: Yeah, I’d like that._

_Eren: When/where should we meet?_

I couldn’t stop myself from smiling, even though I’d smothered it with my hand should someone pass by my office, and wonder what the hell I was doing.

_Me: I know a café._

_Me: And we’ll meet when you’re not leaking mucus._

_Eren: More like phlegm. It’s more of a cough than anything else._

_Me: Fucking disgusting._

_Eren: Nice to know you care about me._

_Me: I do, not get some fucking rest and drink shit so that you get better._

_Eren: Yes Doctor Levi._

_Me: Shut up, go to bed._

_Eren: Haha, I will. Goodnight._

I hesitated here.

_Me: It’s afternoon, you brat._

_Eren: Fine, good afternoon._

_Me: Sleep well, Eren. Get better soon._

I set my phone away, and turned back to my work, trying hard to smother a smile that was creeping dangerously close to covering my usually impassive expression.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, I'm going to be going away for a week starting tomorrow. I'll probably have time to post something tomorrow though, since the flight isn't until later. But yeah, I'll see you guys in a week!
> 
> Give Comments and Kudos and save a homeless chapter's life.
> 
> Me to talk (google translate won't load.):
> 
> goldie-the-cat.tumblr.com


	11. Coffee, Peanuts, and Everything Between Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An actual date

“Come on Levi!” Hanji pushed her head through the door once more, holding it open with her hands as I struggled to close it on her vice grip.

“I’ve told you once and I’ll say it again. No. Fucking. Way.” I muttered, trying once again to shove it closed on her.

“But why not?” Hanji pouted.

“Because last time I asked for your fucking advice you told me to wear nothing.” I let the door swing open, throwing my hands up in exasperation. Hanji stumbled forward when the resistance had been released and almost fell on the floor. I moved to the side and then walked back to my desk to pack up my things.

“It would have made for an interesting first non-date.” She grinned widely. “But now that it’s your first actual date you have to save the ‘wear nothing’ card for your apartment. Make it classy.” 

_First date._

It was damn stupid but the two words sent my heart skyrocketing into a rapid, pounding rhythm. I turned my back to Hanji so she wouldn’t see my face flush briefly at those words.

_Stop acing like a fucking teenager._

The times I must’ve told myself that. I pulled in a breath and steadied my hands to face Hanji with my usual scowl.

“Fuck off, shit-glasses.” I said. Hanji just grinned at me more, wide, pearly teeth showing as they usually did.

“Come on, Levi! Just let me come with you to pick out what you’re going to wear.” She pleaded.

“No.” I deadpanned. I couldn’t have let Hanji, of all people, help me prepare. She couldn’t see me that nervous. Otherwise she’d never let me live such a thing down.

“Then tell me where your going?”

“Why, so you can fucking stalk me?” I asked, rolling my eyes as I grabbed my bag and left my office.

“Not at all!” She chimed, and I knew that was exactly what she would have done had I told her.

“Stay here or fuck off, but you’re not coming with me or helping me, or whatever the hell else you want to do to fuck with this.” I gave her my ultimatum and exited my office, slamming the door behind me. I could see Hanji pout from beyond the glass office walls but she didn’t follow me past that.

I was glad, because once I’d gotten to my apartment and laid out possible clothes, my hands were shaking.

I told myself again, _stop acting so damn nervous._ And, _you’ve dated before, what the hell are you doing?_

But even then some part of me knew this was going to be a bit more than just some one-time fling.

I glanced at the clock, I had an hour and a half until it was time, and the café was only fifteen minutes away. Had I over planned? Yes. Did I need the time? Hell fucking yes I did.

I must have tried on four, five different shirts. None we’re good enough. One was too formal and one was too casual. One restricted my arms too much and the other was too damn loose on my torso. Eventually I settled on an outfit, a dark purple colored shirt and black jeans.

I had too much time to myself afterward, and most of it was spent going over all the things that could possible go wrong.

_What if he doesn’t show? Don’t be a shit-head, Eren’s not like that._

_What the fuck do we talk about? You’ll come up with something_

_Fuck that, I should know in advance. How the hell do our conversations usually start?_

_‘How’s the weather?’_

_Oh I don’t fucking know you idiot, how was it when you walked inside?_

_Goddammit what if we end up sitting in awkward silence._

_What the hell am I doing._

Somewhere along the way of my downward spiral into insensible paranoia, I said ‘fuck it’ and left half an hour early.

I drove to the cafe, fifteen minutes early, and drove around the block to shorten the time. I didn’t want to be too early. That would creep him out, right?

Then I got worried about being late. Worried that if I was late he’d think I didn’t care. He would leave then, right?

So I ended up five minutes early, sitting at a table by the window. Then regretting it because there was a small draft, and even though it wasn’t cold outside I was worried he wouldn’t like the draft.

Or the sun on the table.

Or maybe he preferred booths anyway.

Maybe I was just fucking this up so terribly and I didn’t even know it.

My nerves skyrocketed when ten minutes passed and he still hadn’t showed. A lady came to my table and told me, lacking any grace whatsoever, that I had better order or leave. So I ordered, and immediately regretted doing so and not just telling her to mind her own shit because I had no idea if Eren would like what I got him.

That was when Eren walked in and waved to me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Romance has never been my forte in real life so I have no idea if I suck at romance in writing... So this will be fun.
> 
> Me to talk:  
> goldie-the-cat.tumblr.com
> 
> Comments and Kudos will be given a happy home.


	12. Coffee, Peanuts, and Everything Between Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Date Continues

He was dressed casually, as per usual, and when he waved I saw his other hand was clenched in a tight fist by his side. When I waved back I noticed his smile was slightly shaky, and as he walked I noticed he took a deep breath as if to ready himself.

I noticed all these things, because he was as nervous as I was.

And that made me happy.

It made me happy because worrying about fucking up meant he cared, cared as much as I did. Which meant that to him, it was an actual date. It meant that he wanted to be here with me and was happy that I asked him. That I wasn’t going into this alone, that he wanted this too. That’s what made me happy.

“I’m so sorry, am I late?” He asked, his voice was slightly quivering, a little hesitant. I felt my shoulders, which had been stiff and uncomfortable with nerves, fall as I shed part of my worries.

“Relax, kid, I just got here early.” I said, shrugging.

“Good,” He sighed, “good.” His smile steadied a bit, “I was scared when I looked at the clock, it was ten minutes ahead, I thought I was in deep shit.”

“Not deep shit.” I said, “Only slight shit.”

“How deep?” Eren asked.

“Barely ankle deep,” I commented, a smirk playing against my face.

“Good, so I can still wade through it.” Eren heaved a sigh, as if relieved.

“I ordered for you by the way,” I said, looking towards where the lady waitress had wandered off, “The service here is shit.”

“What happened?”

“She told me to order up or fuck off.” I sighed,

“I doubt she said exactly that.” Eren had been smiling, though, so I knew I didn’t offend him.

“Something close to it. Don’t tip her, cause there’s no way in hell I am.” I warned him.

“I won’t, don’t worry.” He laughed, and I looked down at my hands, hoping to fuck that my face wasn’t red.

“Here’s your coffee, sirs.” The waitress walked up and placed two cups with milk and sugar on the side on the table. She poured hot coffee into both of them, “And for the order, let’s make sure you didn’t get this wrong…” She flipped through a notepad. Eren glanced at me, his eyebrows raising in surprise.

 _See?_ I mouthed to him. He smiled, looked down, and then my phone buzzed in my pocket, I pulled it out.

_Eren: Wow, you weren’t kidding._

_Me: She’s rude as fuck._

_Eren: Maybe even more of an ass than you are._

I looked up at him, and he was giving me one of his cheeky smiles.

_Me: Brat._

_Me: Nobody’s more of an ass than I am._

I hear Eren snicker from across the table.

_Eren: Oh? Do you want a bet?_

_Me: What bet?_

_Eren: If she can out-ass you._

_Me: What do I get if I win?_

_Eren: We’ll see if you do win._

At this point the waitress said the order out loud, and Eren shook his head.

“Shoot, sorry, but I can’t have that.” He said.

“Oh?” I asked, my stomach dropping. Had I fucked up so quickly?

“Yeah, it has peanuts.” Eren looked embarrassed, “I’m allergic.”

“Ugh, god, another one?” The waitress muttered. “Fine, what the hell do you want instead?”

Eren flipped open the menu and pointed to something while I mentally kicked myself for ordering something he was allergic to.

The waitress took his order and left. I sighed.

“Shit, I’m sorry.” I said, Eren smiled.

“Don’t be! You couldn’t have known!” He said. “Besides, you shouldn’t apologize. It’s put her in the lead.”

“Fuck.” I said as Eren picked up his coffee. He laughed. He took a sip of the coffee and wrinkled his nose.

“Oh god that’s bitter.” He said, he reached across the table for the milk. I don’t know what happened, his hand slipped or bumped the pot of coffee the waitress had left of the table but the next thing I knew I was jumping away from the steaming hot coffee as it splashed all over my shirt.

There was a moment of silence, one where neither Eren nor myself knew exactly what had happened and coffee dripped down the table cloth as other customers glanced over to see what had happened, and the asshole waitress let out a disapproving groan at the prospect of having to clean up our mess.

"Shit,” Eren said, “Oh shit, I’m so sorry!” His face turned red.

“Eren-“ I sighed, the cloth stuck to my chest so I pulled it away a little, a sickening sloshing sound as the sticky liquid pulled away from my chest.

“Sorry!” Eren buried his face in his hands, “Oh my god I’m so sorry, ah, crap, that wasn’t mean to- sorry!” He apologized over and over again.

I grabbed his hand and pulled it away from his face, it was covered in a red tint.

“Do you ever stop apologizing?” I asked.

“I fucked up.”

“Eren, it’s fine.” I said, my expression softened, “I’m fine. I’m happy long as your still here. Even if this date has gone to shit.” I shook my head, and sighed, “I’m happy just to be here with you.”

That shut him up. Eren’s mouth had gone agape as he opened it to say something, then closed it again in favor of silence. I asked the waitress for a check as the two of us had a mutual consensus to leave before things got worse.

Eren said he’d walk, but I insisted on driving him. It was too late and our luck was too shitty to let him walk home alone at night. He didn’t object, so we got in my car.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This would be my first date at a café. I'm a klutz sometimes and I hate bitter coffee.
> 
> Comments and Kudos are kudolicious.
> 
> To talk me:  
> goldie-the-cat.tumblr.com


	13. Coffee, Peanuts, and Everything Between

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end of their disastrous first date.

I pulled up in front of his college campus.

“Thank you for driving me home, Levi.” Eren said as he unbuckled, “I’m sorry again about… everything.”

On a whim I took his hand in mine, his face shot up and he met eyes with me.

“Don’t worry about it.” I said, giving his palm a squeeze before letting go.

“O-okay.” Eren stuttered.

“Do you have your key?” I asked, not wanting to leave him if I didn’t know that he would be able to get inside. Eren reached into his pocket and smiled.

“Yep. That’s one thing that’s gone right.” He laughed, “Oh, and Levi?”

“Hm?”

Eren paused, he seemed to be considering something. Then he leaned over, and planted a soft kiss on my cheek.

“Thank you, not just for driving me home, but for the date as well. I had fun.” He smiled. He opened the door, leaving me in a state of wordless shock. He exited the car and I watched him leave. As he turned to close the door he bent down once more. “Also…” He gave me a cheeky smile, “You taste like coffee.” Then shut the door, smiling as he waved to me before turning and walking back to the dorms. I looked ahead to the road.

Admittedly I did trace my cheek, cheesy as it was.

“Damned brat…” I muttered, but I smiled as I did so. Softly, quietly smiled to myself before putting the car in reverse and driving home.

I pulled into my driveway and walked into my home, as I opened the door my mind was left in the parking lot of Eren’s college. Remembering his face and it’s many expressions of shock, guilt, impish bravery, and embarrassment. But each time his eyes changed colors, like a kaleidoscope of blue and green.

_Dammit, which are they?_

The kaleidoscope changed and changed, iridescent blue shifting to bright, energetic green and back again. I kept the debate going through my head until after I’d showered and changed, choosing to throw the clothes that were beyond repair into the trash bin. I finally came to an end when I pulled the covers over my head.

 _Fuck it_ I told myself, _They’re both._

Only Eren could manage to have such captivating, indecisive eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing much to say here. Hope you all enjoyed it!
> 
> Comments and Kudos are very much appreciated.
> 
> To talk me:  
> goldie-the-cat.tumblr.com


	14. Inky Beach Part One

Eren had been the one to ask me out on our second date. He’d asked me while we walked along our usual route.

“Hey, Levi!” He greeted me with his usual cheeriness, but there was some hesitancy behind the smile I’d grown to know so well. It had been almost a week from our first failure of a date. Even considering the optimistic ending I hadn’t been sure if he’d want to go on any more. The thought had depressed me, ever so slightly, and made Hanji pester me with endless encouragements to ask him out on another date.

I’d considered the idea, then pushed it aside for the fear of rejection, and the lack of an idea of what the fuck to do since food ended up being pretty shitty anyway.

“Brat.” I’d muttered, my usual self. Eren had grown used to this attitude, and he took it in stride.

“So… I never told you who won in the contest-of-asses.” He smiled, “You or the waitress.”

We hadn’t talked much about that fuck-up date so I was admittedly very curious. I raised an eyebrow.

“Oh, who won?”

“She did.” Eren said, “But mainly because you lost points for driving me back home.”

“Shit,” I mock-sighed, “I have to step up my game if I don’t want to be beat out by shitty waitresses.” I looked back at Eren, he was tapping away at his camera. “So since I lost and I assume we’re sure as hell never going back to that café, what did _you_ win?”

Eren smiled, his cheeks were red.

“A second date with you.” He shrugged, “You know… if you’re still interested.”

A warm feeling grew in my chest when he said that. It was something I was unused too, but would become used to very, very soon.

“Of course I’m still fucking interested.” I snapped, not the most graceful way to accept a date, “You shitty brat, why the hell wouldn’t I be?”

Despite my harsh words, albeit meant with good intent, Eren’s smile only grew.

“I can honestly say, Levi, that I may never understand why or why not you’re anything.” He commented, then changed the subject before I could retort, “So, I was thinking… maybe we could go to the beach?”

“You just want to see me in a bathing suit don’t you?” I asked, a smirk etching into my face.

“I… er…” Eren’s face blanked, he looked embarrassed, and slightly found-out. “I don’t know how to respond to that.”

“Relax, kid,” I shook my head, “I’m just having fun with you.” The corner where we turned our separate ways was coming up quickly, “Of course, the beach sounds great.” I wrinkled my nose, “Long as there’s no food involved.”

“Awesome!” Eren exclaimed, we reached the corner. Instead of turning our separate ways, we first turned towards each other. Eren was smiling and I kept my small smirk as well. “I’ll text you about when.” He said, I nodded.

“Fine, but don’t take too fucking long.” I warned him, Eren wasn’t deterred, just the way I liked it.

“I won’t!” Eren smiled he waved to me and left, I watched him leave, as I had countless times, then turned myself and walked towards my work.

He texted me before the day was over, our date was scheduled for that weekend. I was determined not to fuck this one up. I had to. I didn’t want to lose him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't had time to write this week so everything's been getting really backed up. Which sucks because writing is how I relieve stress. Anywho~! I actually had time to update today! Yay!
> 
> Comments and Kudos are loved and appreciated.
> 
> Come talk to me (nothing creative today, sadly):
> 
> goldie-the-cat.tumblr.com


	15. Inky Beach Part Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW! An actual chapter.  
> Okay so I know I've been copping out on you guys a bit, but the chapters caught up to me and I couldn't keep up with the everyday updates. SO, Instead of doing this flippantly without an actual schedule, I'm actually going to be organizing this a little bit better.  
> So it'll update every Monday and (if all goes according to plan) Wednesday, with the occasional Friday update if I get a streak of inspiration or some shit.  
> But yeah! Now I can actually do this thing and do it correctly.
> 
> Come talk to me sometime:
> 
> goldie-the-cat.tumblr.com

Eren had a tutoring session with his friend Armin before our beach date. So we decided to meet up at the location. I wondered if his friend Armin would act anything like how Hanji had acted when she learned that I was going on a second date with Eren.

_Look at my little Levi! All grown up!_

_Fucking stop, Hanji._

_Aww, he’s nervous! Don’t try to fool me, Levi, I can tell!_

_Holy crap, what the hell do you drink in the mornings?_

_The blood of my victims._

_…_

_Hanji let out a maniacal laugh as she continues to pester me;_

_I kid, I kid. So, where’s it this time?_

_I don’t need to tell you._

_Well, judging by the sunblock in your bag, I’d say it was the beach!_

_You went through my fucking bag?_

_Can you blame a girl for being curious?_

_You’re not a normal girl, you shit-for-glasses._

_Hey, my glasses are top quality. So is it a nudist beach?_

_What? No! Goddammit Hanji._

_Ahh, poo. Well, I suppose that view is private between you two._

_Holy crap Hanji, you need to stop._

_I’m on a roll, downhill as it may be, there is no stopping._

_Fuck._

_Yep!_

So, several inquires and one pair of scratched glasses later. Hanji left me alone and I was on my way to the beach.

Parking was hell as always, and I ended up walking two blocks backwards, watching as other poor suckers who got the shit-end of the stick drove past me. Surfboards and all tied to the roof of their cars.

There were too many damn people on the beach and I couldn’t make out which one was Eren so I texted him instead of trying to pick my way through the crowd of semi-tanned, semi-burned body.

_Me: Where are you?_

_Eren: I’m at the boardwalk, by the sunglasses store._

_Me: Stay there, I’ll come meet you._

After managing to wade my way throw the throng of people admiring over pierced touristy souvenirs, not that we got any tourists anyway, I made it to the sunglasses store.

I saw Eren’s familiar head of messy brown hair immediately. Funny, how my eye tended to stray right towards him.

His back was turned to me, looking the other way. I walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder,

“Hey, wrong way, brat.” I greeted him, Eren whipped around, and once he saw me he smiled widely.

“Levi!” He always greeted me with such enthusiasm. And, I had to admit, it rubbed off on me a little bit. It made me happier, whenever I was around him. Eren hugged me, he was obviously excited for our second date, and that made me happier then he’d ever know.

“Alright, alright, holy shit you’d think we haven’t seen each other for weeks.” I said with a roll of the eyes as I pushed him off of me. Eren just laughed,

“Sorry, sorry,” He apologized, but he didn’t sound apologetic at all. Instead of hugging me again he opted for grabbing my hand, “Come on, the water’s not all that bad and the sand’s warm!” He said, and I followed him down to the sand.

I had to admit, the kid looked good in a bathing suit, and I was surprised by his athletic figure. I had always pegged college students for the type to sleep in late and not do any sort of physical activity at all but… obviously I was wrong. Then again, Eren wasn’t like most college students, so I could understand him being different. But I still thought he slept in late, that, I thought, must have been true for him. I was right about it, too.

The two of us spent most of the time lounging on the beach, talking about this and that, whatever came to mind. Not really caring about the subject of conversation but more about who we were talking to. So we ended up inquiring about each other, a lot. To both my surprise, and his, I answered all his questions honestly. And he, of course, answered mine.

“You said you were going to a tutoring session with your best friend before this, right?” I asked, curious to see if Armin was, in fact, like Hanji.

“Yeah,” Eren replied, then he gave me his cheeky smile, “Don’t worry there’s nothing going on between Armin and me.” He was trying to get at me and I knew it.

“You brat, are you trying to make me jealous?”

“Maybe,” He admitted, but he didn’t look ashamed of it at all.

“Well, no, that’s not what I wanted to ask.” I sighed, and leaned forward, resting my elbows on my legs, “I wondered if Armin went as crazy as…” How did I say Hanji without saying ‘Hanji’, specifically, “My friend? Yeah, she’s my friend.”

“Well I don’t know how crazy ‘as crazy’ is.”

“I had to threaten to scratch her glasses to get her to leave.” I sighed.

“Did she?”

“She thought I was calling bullshit,” I smirk, looking out over the ocean, “And know she knows I wasn’t.”

“Oh,” Then Eren snickered, “Well, no, Armin’s not like that at all. He’s much more…”

“Sane?” I offered.

“I was going to go with placid.” Eren replied. I shrugged,

“That works too.”

Eren leaned back on the towel we sat on, there was a calm silence in the warm afternoon, broken up by the chatter and laughter of common beach-goers. The weather had been slowly getting warmer as spring began to come into full force. I often found myself sitting and enjoying the slow metamorphosis into the new season, but it was even better when there was someone to share it with.

“Huh,” Eren sounded surprised, I twisted my neck back and saw him staring at my back.

“Enjoy the view?” I teased, Eren’s face turned bright red.

“I… uh…” He stuttered, “You… have a tattoo.” He eventually settled on avoiding the question.

“Oh, yeah, that.” I said. Eren had been referring to the wing-shaped mark on my back, the size of a thumb, right below where my heart would be on the front side of my body. Two wings, black and white, overlapping. Nothing grand, I was surprised he’d even noticed it.

“Why?” He asked, sitting up, his eyes still trained on the small spot.

“To fly free.” Was my answer. I don’t know why I answered that way, maybe because somewhere inside I’m a sentimental shit, or so Hanji claimed. But it was the best way to put it. They were my wings of freedom, call it stupid, I don’t give a fuck. They’re my wings of freedom and I was proud of them. They were a reminder to me that freedom was always there, even if it was small and sometimes I couldn’t see it.

Somehow, for some reason, Eren accepted that answer. “I like it,” He’d told me. I was… happy, he liked them. Happy that he noticed them, not many people did. And not many people understood why I called them ‘wings of freedom’. But Eren did, he noticed them _and_ liked them. We settled back into silence again. Eren ended up falling asleep against my shoulder and I relaxed at the noise of his even breathing.

“Hey, kid,” I nudged him when the sun had begun to move a fair amount through the sky.

“Mmm?” He mumbled sleepily, blinking open his eyes to glance at me.

“Come on, let’s get you back home, you’re tired.” I said, Eren looked hurt.

“Oh shit I fell asleep, didn’t I?” Blood rushed to his cheeks, “Oh my god I’m so sorry! It’s just… I had a lot of tests and every and, crap, no, I shouldn’t be making excuses.”

“Calm your shit, Eren,” I snapped, “It’s fine…” _I enjoyed it._ I added mentally.

Eren watched my face a moment longer, seeing that I wasn’t actually pissed off for once, he nodded.

“Alright,” He said, a small smile etching a familiar pattern into his face, “Thank you, Levi.”

When I’d gotten up to walk to the car, Eren stayed a beat behind me. He caught me off guard when he stood up as well, and kissed the two overlapping wings on my back. I jumped and glared back at him, but he remained smiling at me. Although his face was still red, and admittedly I hoped that it wasn’t just from the sun.

“You brat.”

“Well? Let’s get going!” He ran ahead of me before I could do anything to retaliate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh, dating, a rare and unusual creature. Almost as rare as romance. Both of which I've only written once or twice before and my face still goes cherry-red when I write even just a kiss scene.  
> On another note, I sat outside today and heard (coughs -eavesdropped- coughs) the tale of the person next to me talking with their friend about how they and their bro (he actually used the word 'bro') snuck out to this girl's house and his friend had sex with the girl _while her three year old sister had a sleepover in the next room and he slept on their couch._  
>  It was around this point in time that I questioned how far gone humanity really is.  
> Well! That's my story for now! See you Wednesday! (I'll probably update this before I update NTMYWF)
> 
> Comments and Kudos are greatly appreciated!


	16. Everyday Changes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter isn't actually in the original short story. I'll add in a few small chapters here and there like that. Just tiny things about even smaller or more particular moments that USED to be in the short story but I ended up taking them out before I uploaded it for one reason or another. I decided to acknowledge them in this series of shorts instead :).
> 
> Come talk to me:  
> goldie-the-cat.tumblr.com

Very slowly, as we grew closer, our interactions changed. Whereas before Eren and I had begun to date, our daily conversations had been friendly, but always with that respectful distance. Once things had changed in our relationship, our conversations changed as well. Slower, true, but they changed nonetheless. They became a bit more familiar, intimate, almost.

“Levi!” Eren would still greet me with that overly-cheery voice. He would always be the one to start the conversation. Unless, of course, he was peering at something that caught his attention. Some photograph waiting to be taken. At those times I would wait until I heard the small click and he looked at his photo. I liked seeing his reaction to the things he took with his cameras. It was like his own little language, and I felt glad to understand it.

“Hey, Eren.” I would say afterwards, breaking him out of his trance.

“Huh- Oh! Hi, Levi!” A smile, a laugh, whatever it was, he always seemed so damn happy to see me.

Even the way we walked changed. Instead of simply walking side by side, sometimes I would grab his hand. The first few times I did this he went red in the face and silent, but he never tugged his hand out of mine. After a while he began to reach for my hand as well, it became natural, and he was no longer embarrassed or shocked. Once, he was telling me the story of some event or another that had happened during a shitty class experience. Halfway through he took my hand in his and just kept talking. I wondered if it was a reflex, if he simply did it without thinking now because we were already so used to being with each other.

Another thing that changed was the way we parted ways at the crosswalk. It started when I took his hand in mine, I would give it a squeeze before heading my own way. Once we got used to this, Eren had decided to change it up a bit, and would give me a kiss on the cheek before walking ahead. I’ll admit the brat caught me off guard the first time he did this, my shock had caused him to laugh before practically skipping down his way. I think it made him happy to see that he had an affect on me. Little shit should have known he already did.

I made sure to get him back the next time though, then it was my turn to surprise him by pulling him down and kissing him on the forehead.

“Don’t think you’ve won.” I told him after his eyes widened and he registered what I’d done. Then that same, shit-eating grin spread across his face.

“Trust me, I don’t think I’ve won,” Mischief was commonplace in his eyes, “ _Yet._ ”

Kissing on the cheek and forehead eventually turned into a peck on the lips before parting.

They were small changes, but changes that mattered. We were becoming comfortable with each other. And it didn’t need any grand fireworks or spectacular fuckery to start the process of actually falling in love. All we needed was each other.

And that was pretty damn spectacular in itself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trying to write in a public area is the most stressful fucking thing. I always feel like someone's reading over my shoulder and I hate when people do that... Fun times.
> 
> Comments and Kudos are greatly appreciated.


	17. Even When Apart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eeeey I'm actually sticking to my schedule now.
> 
> Come talk to me:
> 
> goldie-the-cat.tumblr.com

Hanji and I needed to go across the country on account of a business deal that would take up a week or so of our lives. I was never the happiest traveller when it came to business trips. On the contrary, Hanji was perpetually ecstatic.

“I wonder if we’ll meet any natives?” She was buzzing in excitement as baggage security inched forward at a painfully slow pace.

“It’s just across the damn country, we _are_ the fucking natives.” I sighed, rubbing my temples. Airports had always given me headaches, the noise, the humidity from being pressed against some sweaty traveler, the fucking compactness of it all had always made me question whether or not I was claustrophobic. I always decided on not. It didn’t scare me, just pissed me off.

“You never know! It’s uncharted territory, Levi!” Hanji squeezed the straps of her backpack, neither of us had bothered dressing in a suit, we were going over a day early to avoid having a meeting soon as we stepped off of the plane.

“You were there last fucking summer!” I was exasperated, and in no mood to put up with Hanji’s shit. Not that I ever was in a mood.

“A different town, Levi, a different town…” Hanji gave a small nod.

“I doubt it’s that different. Probably as shitty as the next.”

“Actually the hotel was pretty damn kick-ass.” Hanji smiled as she reminisced on whatever ‘kick-ass’ hotel she’d stayed out.

“Probably not by my standards.”

“Nothing’s good by your standards.”

When we got off the plane, it was a relief. Baggage pickup was blissfully quick and by the time we were outside I was thankful to be off of the compact plane. While Hanji hailed a taxi to get us to our hotel, I watched the bags and stretched out my cramped legs, the muscles popping with the effort. My phone rang.

“What the fuck do you want?” I snapped at whoever was on the other end, I hadn’t checked caller ID, I was still irritable from the plane.

“I take it the flight was great.” Eren’s voice came out crystal clear from the other side. My mood softened a bit, the kid had that affect on me.

“Fan-fucking-tastic,” I said, “The guy next to me kept spilling peanut shells everywhere.”

“Wow,” Eren sounded surprised, “And you didn’t raise hell?” I smirked.

“I never said that.” I watched as Hanji succeeded in grabbing a cabbie’s attention. “Hey, Eren, I have to go, but I’ll call you when we reach the hotel, alright?”

“Okay,” Eren said, “I’ll talk to you soon, Levi.”

“Yeah, talk to you soon.” I hung up my phone and followed Hanji into the cab.

And so it went on like that, for the duration of the trip. Short phone calls, long conversations, anything whenever we both had the time to talk. If I missed a time when he said he was available, I felt a little guilty, maybe even a little lonely. Hanji would grin and call it the ‘honeymoon phase’ of our relationship and I would snap at her. But no matter the trouble, we always found a way to talk, even if it was for just a few seconds, to stay in contact and keep close even when it felt like we were worlds apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter, another day :).
> 
> Comments and Kudos are much appreciated!


	18. We Were Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cute people being cute.
> 
> come talk to me:
> 
> goldie-the-cat.tumblr.com

“So Mikasa had to eventually pull me away from the guy, but I’ll bet you she wanted to hit him too.” Eren said with a light tone.

“She just has better self control than you do.” I reprimanded him, but I wasn’t actually angry. If anything I had been more worried than angry when Eren had called me that day and apologized for not calling earlier, that he’d gotten in a fight with someone in his photography class.

“They were bullying Armin!” He defended himself, a small ‘humph’ sound coming out of the other end of the phone. “I mean, you’d defend… er… Hanji! You’d defend Hanji if someone had bothered her.” I snorted at the thought.

“If someone had bothered Hanji she’d probably claw their eyes out herself…” I saw Hanji look up from across the room at the mention of her name, we were doing paperwork in our hotel room to prepare for a meeting the next day. “I’d probably have to hold her back.” Hanji grinned at me.

“Would you?” Eren sounded slightly worried.

“Hell no, not if they deserved it…” Hanji looked inquisitive, she stood up and began to walk across the room, “Although I suppose I’d have to eventually.” Hanji leaned over the couch I was sitting on, grinning at me as she mouthed the words ‘Eren’ with a wink, I ignored her.

“Well then I’d better not piss her off.” Eren sounded happy on the other end of the phone, Hanji heard this through the receiver and nimbly snatched the phone from my hands.

“Hey!” I protested as she straightened, I stood up from the couch.

“Smart kid, aren’t you?” Hanji chimed, she clicked the speaker button.

“Huh?” Eren sounded confused.

“Give me my phone back, Hanji.” I demanded, she smiled at me.

“So, you must be Eren!” She gave me another wink and took off at a sprint. I tried to catch up to her but she’d shut the bathroom door and locked it behind her. I hit the door with my fist.

“Give me my phone back, Hanji!” I demanded again. I could hear her laughing on the other side of the door.

Eventually I’d realized that it was a doomed expedition and sat down to finish the paperwork she’d abandoned. It was several minutes later that she came out again and handed me back the phone.

“I approve.” She said, I scowled at her.

“I don’t need your damn approval.” I held the phone up to my ear.

“No, but you want it.” She grinned.

“You have pretty interesting friends, Levi.” Eren was laughing at whatever Hanji had told him before.

“I know…” I said, quietly pushing Hanji away from listening to my phone. I stood up and walked away from her. Eren was still laughing.

“I’d like to meet her in person sometime.” Eren was still laughing, ever so lightly and fading quickly, but he was laughing all the same… I kept silent as he did, just enjoying the sound of his laughter, and realizing how much I’d missed him while I was away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos much appreciated!


End file.
